Giuliani hires former Schwarzenegger campaign aide

This could be a political smack down worth watching: dueling Arnold advisers take on rival presidential campaigns.

Word’s out that former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani has hired Katie Levinson, the former communications director for Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger’s re-election, to be a senior adviser to his presidential exploratory effort.

Levinson, you may remember, worked hand in hand with Steve Schmidt — Schwarzenegger’s campaign manager for the re-election; Schmidt, and the Arnold campaign’s deputy communications director Matt David, have both signed on with Arizona Senator John McCain’s presidential exploratory.

Levinson was a former White House aide, and a Republican National Committee insider who will now be setting up the Giuliani campaign’s communications drive — which includes doing some of what she did for the Arnold re-elect: getting the spokespeople, press people and public information effort ready for the big time for her candidate.

Could be interesting — especially since the California governor knows, and likes, both Republican hopefuls.